In The Aftermath Of Rejection Of Board Allowance, PSI Was Left Alone Because He Was Deemed Wishy-washy

DKI Jakarta DPRD Building (VOI documentation)

JAKARTA - The general view was read by members of the Jakarta DPRD PSI faction in front of empty seats in a plenary meeting to discuss the draft change for Regional Regulation No.1 of 2014.

All DPRD members who were present at the meeting decided to walk out of the room because they were reluctant to listen to PSI's general views. This is the aftermath of the inconsistency of PSI with the increase in the annual work plan (RKT) of the DPRD.

Initially, one of the PSI faction members had the turn to read a general view on the revision of the Regional Regulation on Detailed Spatial Planning (RDTR) and Zoning towards the podium.

Suddenly, a member of the Golkar faction, Jamaluddin, interrupted. He asked the chairman of the meeting to mandate PSI not to change its attitude after this meeting.

Then, Deputy Chairman of the DKI DPRD, Misan Samsuri, as the chairman of the meeting said that there was no specific mandate to PSI regarding his views. Then, Jamaluddin stated that he walked out of the plenary meeting room before PSI read out his views.

"If there is no (mandate), I will not listen. I will leave," said Jamaluddin before leaving the meeting room at the DPRD DKI Jakarta building, Monday, December 14.

DPR Building (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Soon, all members of the faction apart from PSI followed Jamaluddin's steps, who walked out of the plenary meeting room. So, PSI read out its views without being heard by other factions except the DPRD members who chaired the meeting and the DKI Provincial Government.

Continuing, it was the turn for members of the DKI Jakarta DPRD from the Nasdem Jupiter faction to begin expressing the general view of the faction. At that time, the DPRD members who had walked out returned and took their seats.

After the meeting was over, member of the Golkar DPRD faction, Jamaluddin explained the reason he decided to walk out of the plenary meeting room. Jamal felt a personal dislike for PSI's current attitude.

This is because, some time ago, the DPW PSI DKI stated that they rejected the increase in allowances and salaries in the DPRD's annual work plan (RKT) for the 2021 budget year. In fact, during the discussion, PSI was present and did not state any rejection. That inconsistency is what makes PSI unpopular.

"Because it's been inconsistent. I don't want them without their party's mandate to do something here. Because, later on, what they say, are reviewed by their party and countered, is deemed non-existent," said Jamaluddin.

Continuing, Deputy Chairman of the DPRD from the Gerindra Faction, Muhammad Taufik, said that all faction members who also walked out were not planned in advance. "Yes, just spontaneously, attractions, all came out," said Taufik.

Plenary of DKI DPRD (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

In the aftermath of a polemic of increasing salaries and benefits

The negative sentiment of DPRD members towards PSI came from the polemic in the preparation of salaries and allowances for council members in 2021, which had experienced an increase in its formulation.

Initially, the preparation of this budget increase went cool without any rejection from all factions. Until finally, one faction, namely PSI, expressed its opposition at the end.

Member of the PSI DPRD DKI Jakarta Fraction, August Hamonangan, explained his reason for participating in the meeting to discuss the special committee on the increase in the annual work plan budget (RKT) of the DKI DPRD.

During the RKT discussion, the PSI faction in the DPRD did not show any rejection because it still submitted the results of the discussion meeting to the DPW and DPP parties.

Until finally, PSI suddenly conveyed the rejection of the RKT increase in the general view of the factions at the plenary session of the General Budget Policy and Temporary Budget Ceiling Priority (KUA-PPAS).

"Until there is a general view at the plenary session, we say we reject, disagree with the increase in DPRD revenue in the RKT," said August on Thursday, December 3.

Members of other party factions in the DPRD have been busy protesting PSI's attitude. One of them is the Deputy Chairman of the DPRD from the Gerindra Faction, Mohamad Taufik. In every special committee meeting and joint leadership meeting (gapimgab) related to the 2021 RKT, Taufik said PSI faction representatives who were members of the special committee agreed to all discussions.

"PSI agreed and signed it in the joint leadership meeting (rapimgab) of the DKI DPRD RKT. But, really, they even spoke oddly against outside. Don't be like that, it has to be fair. This is the name, damaging the institution," said Taufik.

Not wanting to have a long polemic, DKI DPRD Chairman Prasetio Edi Marsudi emphasized that his party has evaluated the draft RKT for council members in the 2021 budget year. That way, all nominal salaries to allowances for the DKI DPRD in 2021 remain the same as in 2020.

"I evaluate all of that, we don't have any (increases). Now, as the leader of the DPRD members, I say that they are evaluated and returned to the 2020 APBD," said Prasetio at the DPRD DKI Building, Central Jakarta, Monday, December 7.

Prasetio emphasized that the increase in salaries and allowances for each DPRD member which was initially reported to have reached Rp. 173 million per month or Rp. 2 billion per year is not a final figure. In the end, the DPRD decided not to increase the budget.

"In the working paper plan, it has not been confirmed. Then, (the draft) was suddenly circulating, not legally," said Prasetio.